Cornelius Goyette

...receiving word of the disaster, hastened to the scene...

GOYETTE’S BODY ARRIVES

Was Drowned in Eastland Disaster at Chicago Saturday

Father and Two Brothers Also on the Steamer but Escaped, the Former Receiving Injuries –
Many Heartrending Scenes

Lysle, Francis, and Cornelius Goyette, and their aunt, Mrs. Agnes Apple, arrived in this city (Burlington, Vermont) Tuesday from Chicago with the body of their brother and nephew, Charles Goyette, who was drowned Saturday in the Eastland disaster. When seen Tuesday night, they had stories of the catastrophe so overwhelming to relate that one would almost think them unbelievable or impossible to happen in real life. G.A. Goyette, father of Lysle, Francis, Cornelius and Charles, who was lost, was unable to make the trip, having sustained a dislocated knee in the accident. Joseph Winkel, son of George Winkel of North avenue, was also on the Eastland, but escaped.

The father is general foreman of the service maintenance department of the Western Electric company, while Lysle and Francis are in the tool-making trade. These three were on the boat at the time of the disaster, as was Charles. Cornelius formerly worked for the Western Electric company, but is now employed by the Goss Printing company. He arrived at the scene of the disaster about an hour after the boat rolled over. Mr. Goyette, senior, was sitting in the cabin reading a newspaper when the Eastland began to list. With the final lurch, he was thrown into a corner, under the chairs and tables which were in the room. After several minutes of agony under the weight of the chairs and water, he managed to extricate himself and caught hold of the stairway. He called to many of the people near to catch hold of the stairway, which they did, with the result that it broke, and Mr. Goyette lost his hold. Fortunately, he came up again in almost the same place, and caught hold again. After holding on to the stairway and assisting others to places of safety for almost two hours, he was rescued. Mr. Goyette could not remember all that happened during the time he was in the water. His son, Cornelius assisted him to a hospital where his knee was set and put in a cast.

Lysle Goyette and his wife had just got on the steamer, and consequently were down on the main deck below when the accident occurred. By clinging to a window where the baggage was put in and out, Mr. Goyette assisted his wife and others out on to the side of the boat, whence they slid down on to the propeller shaft, remaining there until they were rescued. Mr. and Mrs. Goyette were among the last ones on the boat and stated that it was listing at that time.

Francis Goyette was on the second deck at the time. He had time to cling to the rail and climb over as the boat listed. From here, he assisted many others to safety.

Joseph Winkel, who is a locksmith, is an expert swimmer and assisted some to shore after which he
returned to the boat, where he stayed for some hours helping others to safe places.

Cornelius Goyette, who is employed by the Goss Printing company was at the office at the time, but, receiving word of the disaster, hastened to the scene. At first he had word that all his brothers and father were safe, but later a cousin, Earl Curtis, employed by the O.W. Richardson company, recognized the body of Charles as it lay in a warehouse near the scene of the disaster. Previous to this, he had gone to the coroner and obtained a pass which allowed him to pass through the police lines and search the warehouse and improvised morgues for relative of friends, as he formerly worked for the Western Electric company. The body of Charles was brought to the second regiment armory late Saturday night and with it the party left Chicago Monday afternoon arriving in this city on the 6:00 train Tuesday evening.

HEARTRENDING SCENES

Some of the scenes they saw were heartrending. The bodies of little babies were everywhere; women’s shrieks and cries for help could be heard on all sides. Although the boilers did not explode, the hot water escaped and one woman was seen in it with just her head out of water, slowly scalding to death. The water soon became clogged with bodies, some crushed and mangled, and others limp, showing that the unfortunate had had no chance to fight for his or her life. Some were driven insane by the shock or continued immersion in the bloody water with hundreds of bodies. One woman was taken out of the hold Sunday with her baby asleep in her arms. Both were alive, but the woman was stark mad after the day of horror. On all sides of her were bodies, over a hundred in all.

All avowed that it was a sight never to be forgotten and day and night they see and hear the terrible scenes over and over again.

Upon investigation, the Goyettes found that, counting the musicians, crew, etc., there were about 2,800 people on the boat at the time of the accident. The people were packed in like cattle. The water ballast had been taken out when the boat came up the river, and it had been put in while the Eastland was moored to the wharf. The boat drew 18 feet ordinarily, and the river is 21 feet deep. With 2,800 people on board, the boat must have been on bottom and this was later proved, as it was found to be sunk two feet in the mud. With a steady stream of people crowding on, and passing to the off side of the boat, with a little incline of the bottom of the river, the boat would tilt that way and soon this strain would tend to break the rope holding the boat to the dock. This would do away with the theory that the tug started before the rope had been cast off, thus causing the accident.

The funeral of Charles Goyette was held Wednesday morning at 9:30 o-clock from St. Mary’s Cathedral with Interment in St. Joseph’s cemetery.